Standing surface door for stand-up personal watercraft

ABSTRACT

A personal watercraft comprising a power source, a steering system, a hull and a deck supported by the hull and defining a cavity with the hull. The deck has an opening to allow access to the cavity. A door is secured to the deck so as to cover the opening. The door is removable to allow access to the cavity. The door and a portion of the deck together form a standing surface for supporting a user person standing or kneeling on the personal watercraft when riding the personal watercraft.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This nonprovisional application claims priority on U.S. provisional application Ser. No.: 60/493,003, filed Aug. 7, 2003, and titled “Standing surface door for a stand-up personal watercraft”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a personal watercraft of the type allowing stand-up type riding and, more particularly, to an access opening for such watercraft.

2. Background Art

Personal watercraft are used for nautical touring and as a nautical sport vehicle. In one category of personal watercraft (hereinafter PWC) used as nautical sport vehicle, the rider is in a standing or a kneeling position on a support surface at the stern of the PWC. Such stand-up types of PWC involve more dynamic riding techniques.

Conventional stand-up types of PWC have most of the engine system (engine, air intake, exhaust, etc.) generally at the bow of the PWC, in the cavity defined between the hull and the deck. National regulations in terms of noise level and air quality, however, require the addition of various components. However, since the cavity at the bow is relatively small, it would be desirable to move some of the components at the stern of the PWC.

Accessing components at the stern of the PWC through though the current bow access opening would be very difficult. Also, PWC used in touring need to have storage space to carry, for instance, food, clothing, and other accessories that may be required in view of a touring use of the PWC. PWC used as nautical sport vehicles are not well equipped for storage, due to the nature of their use.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a deck configuration allowing access to a cavity of a personal watercraft, at a stern end thereof.

It is an aim of an aspect of the present invention to use the access to the cavity as a storage compartment.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a personal watercraft comprising a hull; a deck supported by the hull and defining a cavity with the hull, the deck having an opening to allow access to the cavity; and a door secured to the deck so as to cover the opening, the door being removable to allow access to the cavity, the door and a portion of the deck together forming a standing surface for supporting a user person standing or kneeling on the personal watercraft when riding the personal watercraft.

Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a door for a personal watercraft of the type having a hull and a deck supported by the hull, the deck and the hull together forming a cavity, the deck having an opening to allow access to the cavity, the door comprising a panel having a periphery conforming with the opening so as to cover the opening to be secured to the deck, the door being removable to allow access to the cavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 is a port side view of a personal watercraft in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a stern of the personal watercraft of FIG. 1, illustrating a door in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the door being supported by a deck of the personal watercraft;

FIG. 4 is a exploded cross-section view of a storage tray panel positioned between the door and the deck of the personal watercraft, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the stern of the personal watercraft of FIG. 2, with the deck removed to expose components within a cavity of the personal watercraft.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, a personal watercraft is generally shown at 10 (hereinafter PWC 10). The PWC 10 is configured to allow stand-up type riding. The PWC 10 has a bow B, a stern S, a port side P and a starboard side (hidden in FIG. 1, but illustrated as D in FIG. 2). The PWC 10 has two main parts, namely a hull 12 and a deck 14. The hull 12 buoyantly supports the PWC 10 in a body of water. The hull 12 and the deck 14 are sealed together at bond line 16. The space formed between the hull 12 and the deck 14 forms a cavity that accommodates an engine 18, as well as other components such as, non exhaustively, a gas tank, an electrical system (battery, electronic control unit, etc.), which form, together with the engine 18, the propulsion system of the PWC 10.

The PWC 10 has a steering system that has an exposed portion 20 pivotally connected to the deck 14 at the bow B. The steering system is provided for the steering of the PWC 10. An engine cover 22 is generally positioned above the engine 18, and is openable so as to provide access to the engine 18. A standing surface 24 of the deck 14 is positioned between the engine cover 22 and the stern S of the PWC 10. The standing surface 24 is sized to accommodate a driver in a stand-up or kneeling position.

Referring to FIG. 2, an opening 26 is defined in the deck 14 at the standing surface 24. A standing surface door 30 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention covers the opening 26 in the deck 14. The door 30 is removable from the deck 14 so as to reveal the opening 26, thereby allowing access at the standing surface 24 to the cavity defined by the hull 12 and the deck 14. As various components are in the cavity of the PWC 10 as will described hereinafter, the opening 26 will allow access to these components upon the door 30 being opened.

Referring to FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view illustrates the interconnection between the deck 14 and the door 30, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The deck 14 defines a shoulder 32 bounding the periphery of the opening 26. The door 30 has a panel having a major portion 34 surrounded peripherally by a flange 36. A groove 38 is positioned between the major portion 34 and the flange 36 on an unexposed side of the door 30. A gasket 40 is secured to a surface of the groove 38. It is contemplated to secure the gasket 40 to the end surface of the shoulder 32 rather than on the door 30, but in such an embodiment the gasket 40 could be damaged by a person accessing the cavity through the opening 26.

When the door 30 closes the opening 26, the flange 36 of the door 30 lies onto the shoulder 32 of the deck 14, thereby preventing water circulation therebetween. The gasket 40 is squeezed between an end surface of the shoulder 32 and the groove 38 to provide additional sealing between the door 30 and the deck 14.

On the exposed side of the door 30, the major portion 34 and the flange 36 are coplanar. Moreover, the thickness of the flange 36 is such that the exposed side of the door 30 is coplanar with adjacent portions of the deck 14, together forming the generally flat standing surface 24. The exposed side of the door 30 is provided with a non-slip surface 41 (e.g., a rubber mat, a granular material incorporated in the paint finish of the door 30), to increase the adherence of the rider on the standing surface 24.

Referring concurrently to FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of throughbores 42 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 3) are provided in the flange 36 and emerge into counterbores 44 in the top side of the door 30. The throughbores 42 are in register with throughbores 46 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 3) in the shoulder 32 of the deck 14. Accordingly, fasteners are used to releasably secure the door 30 to the deck 14. According to the anticipated frequency of access to the cavity through the opening 26, the fasteners may take different forms. For instance, if some storage space is provided in the cavity at the opening 26, it is preferable to have a quick release mechanism (e.g., latch mechanism) with a hinge to open the door 30. If the door 30 is solely used to provide access to the cavity, simpler fasteners can be used to fix the door 30 to the deck 14. The counterbores 44 provide clearance for tools to be used to undo the fasteners. For instance, a bolt head could be released by way of a socket received in the counterbore 34.

Referring to FIG. 2, notches 48 are provided in an unexposed surface of the door 30. The notches 48 can be used as attachments for hooks or similar connectors. Accordingly, an accessory can be carried on the exposed surface of the door 30, for instance by being secured to the door 30 by way of straps hung at the notches 48.

Referring to FIG. 4, a storage tray panel is generally shown at 50. The storage tray panel 50 is optionally provided so as to add storage space below the door 30. The storage tray panel 50 is supported by the shoulder 32 of the deck 14. Accordingly, when the door 30 is secured to the deck 14, the storage tray panel 50 is caught between the door 30 and the deck 14. The storage tray panel 50 is provided with eyelets 52 (one of which is shown in FIG. 4), which are in register with the throughbores 42 and the throughbores 46, so as to accommodate a fastener. The storage tray panel 50 typically defines a concave bin.

The door 30 typically consist of relatively rigid materials to as to support the rider standing on the standing surface 24. For instance, the door 30 may have a polymeric core (e.g., an expandable polymer) with a fiberglass resin coating or injection molding. It is contemplated to produce the door 30 using a resin transfer molding process (TMP). The deck 14 typically consists of sprayed fiberglass, whereby the deck 14 and the door 30 may have the same finish. Also, it is contemplated to provide inserts in the door molding process, such that door 30 is produced integrally with a handle, of tapped tubes received in the throughbores 42, for facilitating the fastening of the door 30 to the deck 14.

Referring to FIG. 5, components typically found within the cavity of the hull 12 are illustrated. The opening of the door 30 allows to access these components through the deck 14. These components include, non-exclusively, exhaust pipes 60 and a muffler 62 of the exhaust system, side branch resonators 64, a drive shaft 66, a shaft support 68, and a variable trim system 70 for adjusting the nozzle output. It is pointed out that an unexposed surface of the door 30 can be seated on some of the components, so as to be partially supported thereby. For instance, the door 30 may rest on the shaft support 68, which may be provided with a polymeric foam layer. Alternatively, the door 30 could have a sufficient thickness so as not to require additional support in addition to the shoulder 32 of the deck 14 (FIG. 3).

Although the PWC 10 illustrated herein is of the stand-up type, it is contemplated to provide the door 30 to PWC having both stand-up and straddle type configurations. More specifically, PWC have been provided with a standing surface (e.g., standing surface 24 of the PWC 10 of FIG. 1) and a removable seat positioned generally above the standing surface. The door 30 is well suited for such PWC. Moreover, the PWC of FIG. 2 is provide with a single door 30. However, it is contemplated to provide the PWC 10 with more than one door in the standing surface 24.

It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the embodiments described herein, provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. (Cancelled)
 2. The personal watercraft according to claim 17, wherein the deck has a shoulder bounding the opening, the door being seated on the shoulder such that the door is sealingly supported by the deck to form the standing surface.
 3. The personal watercraft according to claim 2, further comprising a gasket between the deck and the door, the gasket being separated from contact surfaces between the shoulder and the door.
 4. The personal watercraft according to claim 3, wherein the gasket is secured to the door.
 5. The personal watercraft according to claim 17, wherein an exposed surface of the door has a non-slip surface.
 6. The personal watercraft according to claim 17, wherein an exposed surface of the door is generally coplanar with an adjacent portion of the deck, such that the standing surface is generally flat.
 7. The personal watercraft according to claim 17, further comprising a storage compartment in the cavity, the storage compartment being accessible from the opening in the deck.
 8. The personal watercraft according to claim 7, wherein the storage compartment is a tray panel removably supported at the opening in the deck.
 9. The personal watercraft according to claim 17, wherein the door has at least one connector portion for connecting accessories onto the standing surface.
 10. The personal watercraft according to claim 9, wherein the at least one connector portion is a notch in an unexposed portion of the door.
 11. A door for a personal watercraft of the type having a hull and a deck supported by the hull, the deck and the hull together forming a cavity, the deck having an opening to allow access to the cavity, the door comprising a panel having a periphery conforming with the opening so as to cover the opening to be secured to the deck, the door being removable to allow access to the cavity.
 12. The door according to claim 11, further comprising a gasket on an unexposed portion of the panel, the gasket being positioned between the door and the deck.
 13. The door according to claim 11, wherein an exposed surface of the door has a non-slip surface.
 14. The door according to claim 11, wherein an exposed surface of the door is generally coplanar with an adjacent portion of the deck, such that the standing surface is generally flat.
 15. The door according to claim 11, wherein the panel has at least one connector portion for connecting accessories onto the exposed surface of the door.
 16. The personal watercraft according to claim 15, wherein the at least one connector portion is a notch in an unexposed portion of the door.
 17. A personal watercraft comprising: a hull; a deck supported by the hull and defining a cavity with the hull, the deck having an opening to allow access to the cavity; a door disposed on the deck, the door being movable between a first position in which the door covers the opening and a second position in which the door allows access to the opening, the door, when in the first position, and a portion of the deck together forming a standing surface for supporting an operator of the watercraft in a non-seated position; a steering assembly pivotably mounted on the deck at a first end of the steering assembly, forward of the standing surface; a steering handle disposed on a second end of the steering assembly; a jet propulsion unit supported by the hull, including an inlet for taking in water, an impeller assembly for generating a pressurized stream of water, an outlet for discharging the pressurized stream of water, and a movable element positioned at the outlet for selectively directing the pressurized stream of water, wherein the movable element is operatively connected to the steering handle and directs the pressurized stream of water based on signals from the steering handle; and a fastener releasably securing the door in the first position and capable of retaining the door in the first position when the watercraft is overturned during normal operation. 